Having just finished her book, River walked back to the control room. It was well early into the morning by the time she finished. The TARDIS was silent and she decided to check on the Doctor. Of course he'd still be up. He was standing around the console, holding on to it, starting blankly down. His face, half covered by his floppy hair River could still see his expression. It was solemn and made him look extremely old, more than his a thousand years. The worst was to see the Doctor silent and to see the Doctor cry. She knew he had been crying but he never let her see him cry.

"I just finished." She broke the silence. She had enough of it.

"I just read the afterward." He said.

She didn't ask him how. She didn't need to. Rule 3, you never asked the Doctor questions.

"It's my birthday." She said, not looking at him.

He lifted his head up, looking at her, he smiled. River could sense his eyes on her. They felt like they were going to burn a hole through her so she had to look at him. He was beaming.

"Is it? Of course it is. How about I take you somewhere special?"

"And where would this somewhere special be?"

That moment she was convinced she had her old Doctor back. But deep down she sensed something that will forever change him.

" Ice skating, River Thames. 1800's you fancy? Great Forst fairs, they had between the 15th and 19th centuries, during the period known as the little ice age when the river froze over. During that time the British winter was more severe than now, and the river was wider and slower. The last one was in 1814. We can go see Stevie Wonder."

"Stevie Wonder didn't preform in the 1800's."

"Yes he did."

"No. He didn't. I'm telling you..." She caught his smile and her mouth opened wide, then it turned into a smile. Oh that clever man. "Let me guess..."

"Spoilers. Right you are River Song." Melody Pond, he was going to add, but he couldn't say them. He set the coordinates and off they went.

After their trip he dropped her off at storm cage. The alarms rang in her ears. She picke